Typically, the majority of information that people obtain comes through their vision. The blind have lost their vision, and this loss creates many difficulties for the blind in work, life, and study. Walking outside presents a difficulty for the blind. So, when a blind person walks alone, the blind person uses a guiding device to aid in his or her walking.
Conventional techniques for guiding the blind include paving a blind pathway especially for the use of blind pedestrians. One type of blind pathway includes strip-like guiding tiles that guide the blind so that the blind can walk without anxiety. This blind pathway is called a forward march blind pathway. Another type of blind pathway includes warning tiles which have dots. These warning tiles warn the blind that there is an obstacle in front of them and they should turn. This type of blind pathway is called a warning blind pathway. A blind person identifies the shape of a blind pathway with his or her cane and advances. A typical guide cane used by a blind person is a cylindrical long cane. The blind person holds one end of the guide cane, and the other end of the guide cane touches the ground ahead. The blind person senses the contact between the guide cane and the ground ahead to determine forthcoming pathway conditions.
Conventional techniques have the following limitations: the blind pathway in existing techniques for guiding the blind can only alert the blind that ahead of them it is possible to walk forward or to turn. However, the existing techniques are not capable of providing the blind with more information about the surrounding area. For example, in a bustling area, the blind cannot obtain information about surrounding buildings. Also, in an area where few people exist and are spread out, the blind cannot easily get help when needed. Accordingly, the existing techniques for guiding the blind fail to allow the blind to walk outdoors conveniently.